Fun is free these school holidays!

A three week program of free school holiday fun is back at the Darwin Waterfront from 9–27 January 2017.

Get the kids out of the house and down to the Darwin Waterfront with a different activity on every weekday from 10 am.

For the first time, a Little Nippers program will run on Fridays 13 & 20 January. ‘Nippers’ is a junior program that introduces children to Surf Life Saving. The fun and interactive games program to introduce wading, board skills, beach sprinting, beach flags and shallow water activities. Parental participation is required for these activities, and it’s a fun way for parents and children to get active in the outdoors together. The nipper program boosts child’s confidence and teaches valuable life skills and knowledge, especially in and around the water.

Every Monday kids can cool off with water tag. Water tag is a similar concept to laser tag, just with water. Children are dressed with vests and they fire at each other with water guns. The aim is for players to fill up their opponent’s vest by blasting them with water. Over time, a small cork rises to the top to indicate a score.

On Tuesdays kids’ yoga teaches relaxation exercises through moving meditation working with breath and practising mindfulness. Kids will learn to engage their feet with ‘toega’ (yoga for toes) as well as their legs and back using the ‘plow pose’ to pass balls and blocks. The activities include fun and engaging yoga games like the; the flashcard dice game, a hula hoop boat game, an obstacle course and a blindfold walk. Parental involvement is optional.

On Wednesdays kids can join the circus, with a circus workshop. There will be juggling balls and clubs, hula hoops, diablo, balancing sticks, staff spinning and devil sticks. The instructors will provide the kids with demonstrations on how to use all of the equipment. All circus classes are great for building strength and coordination skills while learning how to genuinely clown around.

Children can get creative with arts and craft provided by local children’s entertainer, Mis Yenz on Thursdays 12 & 19 January as well as on Friday 27 January. Kids can try their hand at different paper craft activities including, origami, scratch art, sand art and finger puppets.

All activities are free and no bookings required. The activities are targeted toward primary school children aged from 5 to 12 years.

Patrons are reminded to be sun-smart and bring sunscreen, a hat and plenty of drinking water.

An undercover waterproof pavilion will be used for the art and craft, yoga and circus workshops, as well as provide a shaded spot for family and friends to rest over the school holiday period.

After the school holiday fun, families can stay a little longer, lunch and a swim.

The Wave Lagoon is open every day from 10am to 6pm. $18 gets a family of two adults and three kids all day entry, single entry is $5 for children and seniors, or $7 for adults.

Families can also enjoy the free Recreation Lagoon, which is fully patrolled by lifeguards from 9am to 6pm daily.

For more information, or to download your free school holiday calendar, visit www.waterfront.nt.gov.au or the Darwin Waterfront Facebook page.